BAVC MediaMaker Fellowship

BAVC MediaMaker Fellowship is sponsored by BAVC. The MediaMaker Fellowship supports documentary filmmakers who use bold cinematic language and innovative impact strategies to grapple with critical issues of our time.

BAVC MediaMaker Fellowship – BAVC Media BAVC MediaMaker Fellowship BAVC Artist Development 2026-08-31T21:27:37+00:00 BAVC MediaMaker Fellowship Expansive Cinema. Transformative Community. The MediaMaker Fellowship is devoted to supporting documentary filmmakers using bold cinematic language and innovative impact strategies to grapple with critical issues of our time.

Our cohort is a collaborative, community-driven space that places diversity, representation, and ethical relationships with storytelling at the forefront of our practice. We aim to build a safe space for filmmakers to workshop their films, establish critical bonds and relationships, and gain valuable insights as they go on to build their careers in the field.

We seek candidates who have the potential to impact our understanding of how documentaries can transform the world, as well as expanding the quality of the art of nonfiction.

2027 MediaMaker Fellowship • Intent to Apply Closed • 2027 MediaMaker Fellowship • Intent to Apply Closed • 2027 MediaMaker Fellowship • Intent to Apply Closed • 2027 MediaMaker Fellowship • Intent to Apply Closed • Intent to Apply for the 2027 BAVC MediaMaker Fellowship is now closed.

Meet the 2026 MediaMaker Fellows Support Artist Development • Support Artist Development • Support Artist Development • Support Artist Development • Support Artist Development • Support Artist Development • The Artist Development Donor Circle is a group of dedicated individuals, foundations, and corporate partners who care about supporting first- and second-time filmmakers from underrepresented communities, and making it possible for them to bring groundbreaking work to audiences.

This ten-month-long program supports the development of documentary projects that are nearing post-production, and includes: $10,000 distributed to each Fellow over the course of the Fellowship (plus additional travel per diems) Professional mentorship and strategy sessions focused on documentary storytelling, career sustainability, fundraising, distribution, and more.

Two San Francisco convenings (travel paid) comprised of immersive tailored workshops, intimate feedback sessions, and presentations by leading filmmakers and industry figures. All-access pass, round trip flight, accommodations, and a customized itinerary for two film festivals or industry conferences assuming travel is safe and advisable.

All plans are subject to change according to pandemic restrictions and best practices, as well as the availability of festival programs. Consistent workshops and check-ins, 1-3 hours in length, scheduled in advance, throughout the year. A built-in support network.

Opportunities for continued mentorship and support in the future as a MediaMaker alum. All Fellowship applicants and Fellowship alumni are eligible for five hours of one-on-one mentorship through the BAVC MediaMaker Connect Mentorship Program.

The MediaMaker Fellowship program is particularly interested in supporting a diverse cross-section of media creators from across the U.S. who are in the process of directing their first or second feature-length documentary .

Candidates who have directed a feature previously should take care to clearly demonstrate in their application that this project represents a significant creative leap compared with any previous work and make a strong case for why they need a collaborative fellowship experience at this stage of their career.

Above all, ideal candidates should demonstrate a strong capacity for artistic growth and willingness to participate in peer mentorship and collaborative learning experiences with a diverse cohort of other filmmakers. The applicant should be the Director and the creative lead of their project – applying as an individual. They must be the only person on their filmmaking team who is applying this year.

If they are part of a Co-Directing team they should discuss this program with their partner and together determine which person would most benefit from and have the capacity to participate in a fellowship of this nature at this juncture. This Fellowship required significant time and energy over the course of nine months and applicants should be prepared for the commitment to their cohort if selected.

Full time students are not eligible for the fellowship.

The project you are applying with should be a feature length film (shorts, series, and podcasts are not eligible), non-commercial (meaning the film is not being created for a market audience with the intent of generating income through the promotion of products, services, or organizations), primarily documentary or non-fiction in nature (this includes hybrid docs which are encouraged to apply), and should have the potential for social impact (social impact can be defined in many ways and is in no way restricted to policy outcomes).

Eligible films will have at least begun production and may have started post-production. A project would be considered too far along to benefit from the Fellowship if a fine cut is expected before the end of the program year. Projects should be in a place to benefit from workshopping (scenes, story, structure, edit, etc.) with the cohort and seasoned guest filmmakers.

This is not a fellowship for filmmakers who are still in early development on their project. Though there is no citizenship requirement for the Fellowship , at this time the program cannot support Fellows who are primarily based outside of the U.S. Applicants must primarily reside in the United States and not expect to reside outside of the U.S. for a major part of the year.

In 2020 BAVC Media launched the new MediaMaker Connect Mentorship Program, in the spirit of building the field, supporting nonfiction filmmakers to complete their projects, and facilitating connections between filmmakers at different stages of their careers.

This new program provides emerging filmmakers, as well as MediaMaker Fellowship Alum, with 5-months of one-on-one mentorship in which filmmakers receive feedback and counsel from industry professionals addressing their unique challenges from story development to post-production roadblocks.

This new effort extends the scope of the MediaMaker program from a one-year fellowship to a spectrum of support that spans early development to artistic fruition. BAVC Media is thrilled to deepen our commitment to cultivating a continuum of infrastructure and support for early-career documentary filmmakers. In 2023 the Connect program was expanded to include a Residency through support from Film SF.

Local participants now have access to BAVC Media’s co-working space, meeting rooms, preservation library, public broadcasting and audio recording studio, editing facilities, equipment rentals, and training.

Since 1991, BAVC Media’s MediaMaker Fellowship (formerly the National MediaMaker Fellowship and the BAVC Producers Institute) has provided in-kind creative support for independent artists at work on social-issue nonfiction film and multimedia projects, with a particular focus on supporting emerging artists and underrepresented communities.

The Fellowship builds an engaged national community of creative media artists from diverse fields, increases their capacity for project completion and lasting impact, and inspires new partnerships and collaboration to support future work. The MediaMaker Fellowship and associated programs are supported in part by awards from the NEA, John D. and Catherine T.

MacArthur Foundation , Kenneth Rainin Foundation , the Perspective Fund, Film SF, SF Grants for the Arts, the California Arts Council, Americans for the Arts, and BAVC Media’s Artist Development Donor Circle Members.

Community Promotion Request Form BAVC Media is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit Organization, Tax ID: 94-2403876 × Consumer Information As a prospective student, you are encouraged to review this online catalog prior to signing an enrollment agreement. You are also encouraged to review the School Performance Fact Sheet (see below), which must be provided to you prior to signing an enrollment agreement.

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The State of California created the Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) to relieve or mitigate economic losses suffered by students in educational programs who are California residents, or are enrolled in a residency programs attending certain schools regulated by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.

You may be eligible for STRF if you are a California resident or are enrolled in a residency program, prepaid tuition, paid the STRF assessment, and suffered an economic loss as a result of any of the following: The school closed before the course of instruction was completed.

The school’s failure to pay refunds or charges on behalf of a student to a third party for license fees or any other purpose, or to provide equipment or materials for which a charge was collected within 180 days before the closure of the school.

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There was a material failure to comply with the Act or this Division within 30 days before the school closed or, if the material failure began earlier than 30 days prior to closure, the period determined by the Bureau. An inability after diligent efforts to prosecute, prove, and collect on a judgment against the institution for a violation of the Act.

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gov ). Additional documentation (all links open PDFs): 2020-2021 Student Performance Fact Sheet